[akarob]

I have not been asked anything on my Katana yet, but I do see alot of hand motion from kids in cars wanting me to do a wheelie...

I would not want to try a wheelie on a bycicle, much less a 450 machine.... I didnt even do it when I was akid.

If you ride off road, like on a dirt bike, you pretty much have to do them. There are a LOT of obstacles that are easier to cross if you loft the front wheel breifly. There's really not a need on a street bike but I don't see it as an irresposible thing to do as long as it's not done in traffic. Just slip the clutch a bit in the middle of 2nd gear. Oh BTW, my dirt bike is at least 320 pounds.

[erok011]

older guy at a gas station ask me how my mother feels about my Katana. I said, well, she worries but i haven't lived with her in 12 years. He asks how old I am, I tell him i'm 30. He shakes his head mumbles something and walks away. I didn't know wheather to be annoyed for his chastising or flattered at being mistaken for a teenager

[Free Coffee]

We're you dressed like your avatar? That may have been the problem.

[JasonChen]

I'm still laughing right now.... LOL

picked up my dinner at a local thai food restaurant and two kids playing outside... one's around 6~7 the other 10~12 yrs old.

the younger kid: can you pop a wheelie on that?
the older kid: naw, that's a gixxer, you need a yamaha to do that.
me: *fires up my bike with the m4 exhaust* vrooom~
both kids: *screams* AHHHHHHH *runs away*
me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[WickedKatweazle]

Today in the Wal-Mart parking lot:

70 year oldish man(om):Hey there young man, nice bike. What is it?
me: It's a suzuki katana
om: 600 cc?
me: yep.
om: What year is it?
me: it's an 06.
om: It looks nice, how much would you take for it?
me: (chuckle) it's not for sale.
om: Oh, well I've been looking for a bike for me and my lady to ride (points at his wife who rolls her eyes)
me: (laugh) Oh, ok.
om: They make sidecars for that bike?
me: No, but I think there are sidecars for the suzuki boulevard.
om: Oh, ok. I would need a sidecar so it wouldn't tip over.(wife rolling eyes)
me:Ok
om: Yeah, plus I could carry my other other lady just in case this one falls off! I like to have a spare! (big **** eating grin on his face)
me: (laughing) (i am starting to imagine him as the future me)
om: Well your bike looks good being four years old.
me: I take good care of it, I have too much work in it not to.
om: Ok, well be careful. People don't look out for bikes around here.
me : Yeah I know it, thanks. (someone almost clipped my front tire just prior to my parking)
om: Alright you have a good day young man!

I went into Wal-Mart laughing and stood in the lobby for a minute to get my head back together. People were staring but I didn't give a damn. That old dude made my day. I really wish you all could have heard the whole thing in person.

I'm still laughing right now.... LOL

picked up my dinner at a local thai food restaurant and two kids playing outside... one's around 6~7 the other 10~12 yrs old.

the younger kid: can you pop a wheelie on that?
the older kid: naw, that's a gixxer, you need a yamaha to do that.
me: *fires up my bike with the m4 exhaust* vrooom~
both kids: *screams* AHHHHHHH *runs away*
me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Bart]

Got a few funny stories. 2 from my very first ride (1st bike, still learning). As soon as I pull out the apt parking lot onto the road I have a car tailgating me. The wind, the vibrations, the exhaust sounds... sure felt to me like I was going near-freeway speeds. I motion the guy around, expecting some young punk kid in a ricer. Turns out it's this middle-eastern fella, probably about 90 years old. Looked like a cross between a raisin and yoda. Then I check the speedo and I'm doing just under 15 mph.

A few blocks later there's kids and moms with strollers everywhere. This little girl - probabaly about 3 - is pointing at me and making a big fuss. Her brother (I'm guessing), I'd say around 5, yells at her "THAT'S NOT AN ASTRONAUT!"

I think the best was when visiting my friend, and his sister saw my bike for the first time. Her expression said she didn't like bikes, and she asked me how I could stand to ride without air conditioning... "what do you do about the HEAT...it's just so HOT outside?"
I smirked and said, "I hit the freeways".

[chris216]

"what do you do about the HEAT...it's just so HOT outside?"

Well she got that right. Been down there a few times and definitly a big change in weather then up north

[Dom]

I think the best was when visiting my friend, and his sister saw my bike for the first time. Her expression said she didn't like bikes, and she asked me how I could stand to ride without air conditioning... "what do you do about the HEAT...it's just so HOT outside?"
I smirked and said, "I hit the freeways".

I thought you were gonna say "Come with me for a ride and see."

[bob393]

Great replys, I don't usually give to much eye contact when I ride so I never get spoken to. I don't avoid it I just don't encourage it.

[dieselguy65]

Well, when I bought my fj1100, i rode it home, was married at time and never mentioned a word to wife about buying a bike. I rode right up on front walk outside door. she comes out and says 'what the hell is that?'
my reply 'at your age i would think you know what a motorcycle is!'
needless to say the whole thing didnt go over very well.

[newkatbie]

I tried to see anyone else had this happen in this thread.

I had a guy, ridding a scooter, who saw me on my bike ask me how much rice it burns. I wanted to say, "pull up next to me at a light and we will see."

As for the bikes=death thing, my uncle, who works at a hospital, told me he had a guy in the emergency room with his flesh peeled back on his hands and all the bones showing because of a bike. I said, " Cool, he won't need a Halloween costume this year!"

As for the Harley guys who hate intake/exhaust civics and anything Japanese. I find it funny that anyone who rides something that does 15 second 1/4 miles on a good day with a good rider and makes enough noise to drown out a jumbo jet could find something wrong with a civic that does the same. Sadly your engine is about the same size with 1/4 the weight and you both go just as fast. And you find something wrong with the "rice burner"? A deep, loud sound is not a replacement for a small package.

In ten years, your Harley will need a couple new engines and tranny and my rice burner will still be happy burning rice when you brake down on the highway.

[axelpkt]

When I was at the mall getting ready to leave, some guido that looked like he just came from the Jeresy Shore walked by me and goes sweet bike what is it. I go its a Suzuki Katana. He goes sweet, thats like a CBR right? I'm like yeah same exact same thing, except mine isnt a Honda, its a Suzuki. He looks at me with this complete blank stare and I just rode off laughing.

[994runnerNC]

As for the Harley guys who hate intake/exhaust civics and anything Japanese. I find it funny that anyone who rides something that does 15 second 1/4 miles on a good day with a good rider and makes enough noise to drown out a jumbo jet could find something wrong with a civic that does the same.

The problem with the rice burners are usually the kids who drive them and try and switch lanes every 2 seconds thinking they're in a Fast and The Furious movie.

Plus, its funny that they actually think their huge fart can is cool, sounds good, or that a huge wing on a Front Wheel Drive car helps out at all.

Now there are some people who properly build Japanese cars, but not the 99% you usually see out on the street.

[teleskier97]

Plus, its funny that they actually think their huge fart can is cool, sounds good, or that a huge wing on a Front Wheel Drive car helps out at all.

Now there are some people who properly build Japanese cars, but not the 99% you usually see out on the street.

Hey, that was me 10 years ago, I had a fart cannon on my Nissan and me and my friends thought it was cool. I do now realize the error of my ways.

Honestly, I've gotten a lot of positive comments, even from some gixxer people. I get the nice bike a lot, I do get the 'you're gonna kill yourself on that thing" as well as a bit of the "must be hot in all of that"

The best though was the other day and I was at a gas station filling up. Fully decked out in full riding gear and this kid who's maybe 11 or 12 is just staring at me in awe. He finally comes up to me and says "what kind of crotch rocket is that?" And I proceeded to tell him what it was. That put a smile on my face for sure.

[arctickat]

Walked into the bank last week wearing my gear and helmet in hand, the teller asks
"are you out riding today?" I'm like nope just pushing it around. wearing the gear incase I trip over a boot lace.